Privileges
by PercyJacksonAlways
Summary: Peter brought an old and dented Xbox to the Tower during one of his weekly visits. Tony notices. Later, he is once again reminded that not everybody had the privilege to buy anything just because they wanted to. He sets out to strike a deal with Peter. Oneshot.


**These one-shots just keep coming, don't they? I'm not complaining though, because they were very enjoyable to write.**

**I hope you get as much fun out of it by reading :D**

**Enjoy!**

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_Don't even think about it… don't look at the damn watch._ Checking his watch for the sixth time in less than fifteen minutes wasn't going to help him lower his stress levels.

He tried his best to focus on the calculations and projection of his upgraded prototype repulsor in front of him. It was probably nothing to worry about. Maybe the bus had broken down or there had been some heavy traffic on the road on the way to the Tower. Or maybe there had been a hold up in school because some teacher just wanted keep the students a little longer knowing that it was just before the weekend.

It could literally be anything. Who ever said that jumping to conclusions of a worst case scenario was a normal thing to do?

Besides, the kid could handle himself. Peter was stronger than even the most bulky of humans and definitely smarter than what Tony would ever have admitted. Naive? Too trusting? Sure. Although all things considered, Tony still felt pretty sure that the kid was at least safe. He had FRIDAY track his handphone, and if there was anything even slightly out of the norm, she would have raised the alarm.

So no. Peter wasn't kidnapped or injured or hanging on the side of some plane he shouldn't be on.

These thoughts should have calmed him down, because knowing that Peter was safe was plenty comforting, but then the multibillion dollar question still stands: Why is he late?

It was their usual thing. Peter would stop by the tower on Fridays and over the weekend to do a little bit of tinkering. He would order in burgers and coke and barricade themselves in his private lab until Pepper shooed them out for meals and bed.

He looked at his watch again. 1:18pm. The kid should have reached here almost twenty minutes ago. And Peter was never late. Not especially when it meant that he could spend time around the Avengers Tower.

Tony sighed, looking up at the ceiling, "FRIDAY, locate Peter please, tell me he's not doing anything he shouldn't."

"Peter is in the elevator towards your private lab, boss," his AI replied coolly, "And he's not doing anything he shouldn't."

"Huh, okay then. That's good." Tony slumped back into his chair, his breathing evening out, "That's good."

And just on cue, he looked through the glass doors of his lab to see the kid bouncing down the corridor with a spring in his step and a grin plastered on his face like all those times when he visited. Suddenly, Tony felt whatever stress he'd been harbouring over the past days melt away, and the corners of his lips twitch upward.

He watched as the kid's lips moved, probably asking permission from FRIDAY to let him in, even though he'd told him that FRIDAY would automatically open the doors for him.

The second he crossed over the threshold of the glass doors, he launched into some rapid fire word vomit that Tony struggled to keep up after the first two words.

"Mr Stark! Sorry I was held up. I was in class when I overheard that one of my classmates had his Mom buy a brand new Playstation and so it meant that he was going to throw away his old Xbox." All the while as he was speaking, the kid dropped his bulging backpack on the bench by the door with a metallic clunk, before straightening up again and continuing in an even faster pace than before.

"Soithoughtthatwouldbeagoodideatojustdropbyandseeifmaybethetrashhasntbeenclearedbecausetherewasachancethathisoldplaystationwouldstillbethereand -"

"Woah, woah, slow down Pete. That is a lot of words coming out of your mouth."

Peter stared at him for a moment, then realised that he was indeed talking too fast for anyone to actually understand what he was saying.

His cheeks coloured. "Oh," he said, "I didn't -"

"It's okay, you were saying about a classmate throwing out his old Xbox?" Tony said, standing up from his chair and strolling over to Peter.

"Yeah."

"Alright, I still don't get where this is going…"

"Oh, actually, Mr Stark, it's not really that important. What are we doing today? I was looking forward to staying over this weekend again." Peter said, doing a very bad attempt at changing the subject, which made Tony smile because that was exactly why he liked this kid. The _innocence_. And he hoped he could keep it this way for as long as possible.

It still struck Tony that Peter was trying to hide something. He'd learnt from experience that whenever people say it's nothing, it usually meant that there was something. This was especially true whenever Peter said it.

Tony didn't want to dig. In fact, he wasn't sure how to dig. It didn't mean that he couldn't be pushy, because he certainly could when he wanted to. But he reserved that for government officials and insistent reporters, but more importantly, adults. He never really got it down when it came to parenting, because he usually liked to keep his distance from them. So it wasn't until one day when this kid just waltzed into his life and shared quite a part in it, did he start to grasp the communication part of mentoring teenagers.

Not that he was complaining. If Peter wanted to hang around him all day he'd be glad to let him.

Noticing that Peter was still staring at him and waiting for an answer, Tony clapped his hands together and waved at the spacious lab, "Weekend's just started, so I suppose you can do whatever you want. Knock yourself out, kid."

Peter's face brightened as he watched Tony sidled back to the prototype displayed on his desk. He decided to just mind his own business and give Peter his space, and maybe watch what the kid did for the next hour or so, figuring that Peter would tell him more when he felt up to it.

Tony watched out of the corner of his eyes as the boy reached into his bloated backpack to pull out a rather large and bulky rectangular box. Setting it carefully down on the workbench, he picked out a small screwdriver and started removing all the screws on the side panel. Tony made sure that the stack of boxes on his desk was concealing his face as he gazed rather bemusedly at the sight of the teenager hunched over in concentration, the curls of his hair dangling over his eyes and seemingly tuned out of his surroundings.

After the sixth tiny screw popped out from the panel, the boy licked his lips as he gently eased the cover open, setting it to the side. Then he plunged his fingers into a mess of wires and boards and started fiddling with something inside that Tony couldn't see.

He gave Peter about an hour to meddle with his very interesting box before the inventor's curiosity could bear it no longer. Getting to his feet and pretending to stretch his back, he casually walked towards the unsuspecting boy.

He should be jealous, honestly, at the amount of attention Peter was giving that battered box and not to a certain billionaire and genius sitting in the same room.

Not until he was halfway across the room did Peter sense his presence and his head shot up. Tony glimpsed a flash of panic and uncertainty as their eyes met briefly before the fleeting look disappeared, replaced by a rather resigned expression.

"Whatcha got there, kid?"

"I uh... I uh, it's a box I found."

Tony very nearly snorted, "Thanks for telling me that, because otherwise I would've thought it was a sphere."

A small smile crept into Peter's face, "You're welcome."

Tony decided not reply with another sarcastic comment.

He scooted over to the other side of the bench facing Peter and looked closely at the box. It was an old Xbox. Those stuff that teenagers play with controllers and sometimes with a big, rowdy group.

"And let me guess, you found it on your way from school to here." He watched as Peter gave a shrug, "And you made a little detour to pick it up, so that's why you were late, right?"

"Kinda."

"Bingo. Natural born Sherlock Holmes here." Tony grinned, gesturing at himself.

Peter's eyes twinkled, "If these are the type of cases that detectives solve then literally anyone could be a detective."

"Technically, I could ground you in your room for the weekend."

"Mr Staaaark," came the whine. "You wouldn't."

"That's questionable."

Tony reached out to pull the half dismantled Xbox closer to him, "So this is your weekend project? You've got an entire state-of-the-art lab and that's what you decide to work on?"

"It's almost done! I've just replaced some of the damaged wires. It should work good as new now."

"Okay, sure." Tony tilted his head, "but why did you take it back?"

Peter glanced down at the Xbox then back at him, as though deciding how much he should tell his mentor. Then he sighed, "It used to belong to my classmate, but since he bought a new one, he didn't need this anymore and threw it into the garbage. I just picked it up because I was certain it can be fixed. Can't let good things go to waste, huh?"

"What do you plan to play on this?" Tony wondered.

"Overcooked!" The kid bubbled with excitement, and his eyes went huge, "You can play it in cooperative or competitive modes with a friend and the objective is to serve as many customers as possible in a specified time span. Ned and I were watching a few lets plays on Youtube the other day and -"

"So I can assume it's one of those cooking games then." Tony said, feeling the need to cut in before the teen could spontaneously combust with excitement. Don't get it wrong, it warmed some small spot in his chest just watching this kid brimming with vibrant energy and talking about his hobbies. He liked seeing Peter this cheerful… and he would do anything in his power to keep him this way.

Peter pondered about it for a moment before nodding, "Yeah, sort of. But this one is really good." Then perhaps as an afterthought, he added, "you should try it."

Tony's eyebrows inched higher, "You think it's a good idea for me, a man of such distinguished _reputation_, to indulge in a cooking game with a high schooler? And I thought you were smart."

"Hey, I am smart!" The kid huffed, then lowered his voice to a whisper, "I think?"

Damn, the kid didn't even know that he is a freaking _genius_.

Tony felt a need to tell him, "You are, kid."

Peter's cheeks flushed, as he dropped his gaze and said muttered, "thanks," before snapping back to their conversation, "but once I get this fixed, you really should play it with me."

Tony sighed, "I'll see about that."

Peter crossed his arms and looked at him with those puppy eyes that he must have practised in secret because it was oh-so-endearing, "pretty pleeeease, Mr Stark?"

_Say no, Tony. Don't give in, don't give in. He's just doing it on purpose and you know that. Say no before it gets too late._

"Fine." Tony said, "but you _so_ did that on purpose."

The puppy look was replaced by an innocent grin, "did what?"

"That's not fair."

Peter laughed genuine and light, a very soothing sound to his ears, though voice dripping with sarcasm, "I have no idea what you are talking about, Mr Stark."

This kid was gonna be the death of him.

"I don't understand, kid. If you want to play this game on the Xbox so badly, why didn't you just buy one?"

Peter frowned at him, then started to pick at his nails as he replied in a bare whisper that Tony nearly missed, "You won't understand."

"Try me. Come on Pete, just spill it out already. I'm not going to get any younger by waiting."

The kid hesitated, and muttered something like, "'s expensive."

"Come again?"

"It's…" Peter's eyes flickered to Tony's face, then back again to a dent on the workbench, "... expensive."

For a self-proclaimed genius, Tony felt stupid for asking. He should've known this was the reason. Pepper was right, he was an insensitive ass to assume everyone could just buy whatever they wanted. Just because he was a billionaire and had unlimited spending power doesn't mean everyone else could. Besides, he knew Peter long enough to know that money was difficult to come by in his household.

Desperately trying to cover his mistake, he pushed on, "What I meant was that you could have just told me you wanted to play it. I'd have bought it right away."

"I know," the teen sighed, "but I didn't want you to think that I was just hanging around you for the money."

"What?! Why would I think that?"

"Because the other day you already got me the latest Starkphone when I dropped mine while on patrol. So I thought asking for this would seem like I'm juicing you for money."

"I'm a billionaire, Pete. I don't think that a five hundred dollar Xbox console would be considered juicing."

The kid shook his head furiously, "But that's the point! I can't just keep asking you to get me things that I want. I've got to work for it to deserve it, see?"

"Oh, I think you will find that you are well mistaken, kiddo." Tony said, sitting up straighter and leaning closer to the boy. "You think after spending every night out there swinging around the city and stopping crime, stopping Toomes from stealing the entire carrier of weapons and technology, for no other reason than to help the ordinary guy when not doing so would not have people think the lesser of you; all these don't qualify you to deserve a game?"

Lost for what to say, Peter opened his mouth uncertainly, "I - "

Tony stuck his finger out, "No, you listen good, kid. Because I agree, you don't deserve an Xbox for doing all these." The kid had sunk into his seat at his words, but Tony continued, "An Xbox just doesn't cut it. You deserve so much more."

_Urgh_, this was too much of a heart-to-heart talk for his liking. But he found that he didn't mind, if it meant showing Peter what he was worth. The kid needed to know.

There was surprise badly hidden in the teenager's face, like he was trying to recall a time when Tony Stark ever showed such a display of affection towards him. The opened and closed his mouth a few times before stumbling out, "I - Wow, didn't think I'd hear you say that…like ever."

Not sure how to respond, the safest was to slip back into his usual shell. Tony clapped a hand on his shoulder, "It's a one-off, kid. You won't hear it again, so I hoped you got that into your head."

Thank God that Peter didn't linger on that subject any longer, because it wasn't something Tony was familiar with. Even if the kid knew not to pursue on this route, he didn't show it, though his tensed shoulders had relaxed and that mischievous smile Peter was well known for was back on his face.

"So...if you buy it for me, does that mean you'll play?"

Tony pretended to think, fingers rubbing his goatee, "On two conditions."

It was the closest to a direct 'yes' that Tony would ever say, and Peter knew it. The kid literally stood up so fast that his chair would've fallen over backwards if he didn't suddenly swivel around to steady it.

"Yes, yes! I can't believe I got you to agree!" he said, punching his fist into the air in victory.

"I haven't agreed, kid. And you never asked what those conditions are either." Tony said, amused, "what if one of them is to prank call Happy?"

The kid froze, "You wouldn't. He'll kill me."

"Ah, so technically if you're dead, then we can't play the game, even if I wanted to."

Tony smirked, "See? That's why you should've asked before celebrating."

Peter squinted at him, as though he thought that was a terrifying glare, but it only made Tony snicker, "Alright, kiddo. That wasn't part of the two conditions."

Wide eyed, and caution lacing his words, he asked carefully, "Oookay...so what are they?"

Tony leant back in his chair, lifting his index finger, "First condition, you've got to finish all your homework before we play any of those -"

"Done!" Peter grinned. "I did them all in Math period because my teacher was going really slow for the Trigo chapter."

"I'm not finished, kid."

"Sorry."

"Second condition," Tony dragged on, putting up another finger, as he waved his other hand at the mess of wires and the old Xbox sprawled on the bench in between them. "This junk you dug out of some virus infected trash needs to be thrown out of my very technologically advanced and sparkling clean Tower."

Peter pouted, arms folded across his chest.

"C'mon kid. You can't just place a germ-infested antique beside my television." Tony pulled out his credit card from his pocket. "Two conditions, remember? Then we can go and pick up your new Xbox, or Playstation, or whatever."

"Fine." Peter said turning back to the bench to screw in the cover. "But since I've got it fixed, I'm bringing this to the second-hand store. Some other kid might be able to get one at a cheaper price."

Still thinking about the lesser guy, Tony thought, and he reached an arm out to ruffle the kid's hair. "Alright. Fair enough."

He stood up slowly and walked around the bench, stopping behind Peter's chair and rubbing the kid's shoulders, "Then get dressed, and we'll go get that children's game for you."

"It's not a children's game!"

"It sure is."

"It's not!"

"Is."

"Not!"

Later that night, Pepper came back to find both of them asleep on the sofa with Tony sitting in an upright position and Peter lying stretched out across the three seats, head nestled comfortably on his mentor's legs. Tony had one hand tangled in Peter's curls while the Playstation controller was slipping from his slack grip.

She took a picture with her phone, because they looked so cute together, and well... also as blackmail, before running her fingers through her fiance's hair to wake him up.

"Mmm?" Tony grunted sleepily.

"Shh, the kid's asleep."

"Pep?"

"Yeah?"

"It's not a children's game."

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**Tell me how you found it! Good? Bad? Your reviews are greatly appreciated :D**


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